This application claims the priority of German Patent Application No. 101 34 394.9 filed Jul. 14, 2001, which is incorporated herein by reference.
The invention relates to an apparatus for protecting against the effects of land mines. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus for protecting the crew of an armored vehicle, and the vehicle body in general, against the effects of the explosion of mines located in or on the ground against the effects of mines using protective elements mounted to the vehicle floor.
The chassis of these vehicles typically has a smooth underbody and the highest possible clearance between the underbody and the ground, which is assured by a wheel or chain moving gear of appropriate design that allows the vehicle to travel unimpeded, even off-road.
The explosive pressure effect of a mine exploding beneath the vehicle deforms and damages the relatively large surface area of the vehicle underbody or hull floor, and can cause considerable damage inside the vehicle.
To this point, the following apparatuses and principles have been implemented in mine protection. The simplest measure is to make the hull floor thick enough to withstand a predetermined mine detonation.
Another option is to construct the hull floor plate from a multi-layer or sandwich plate that comprises different superposed materials and can withstand a predetermined mine detonation.
Finally, the floor structure can be constructed from superposed plates and hollow layers, such as air layers, so the uppermost plate does not bulge, or bulges very little, in the event of a predetermined mine detonation.
According to the prior art, numerous proposals for avoiding damage have been made.
It is known from German patent document number DE 3119786 to mount planar armored elements to the vehicle underside for anti-mine protection.
In German patent document number DE 19631715, the vehicle floor is equipped with a deflector that is wedge-shaped relative to the floor. The deflector can also be provided with a gas generator for internal protection and to counteract the explosion.
In German patent document number DE 19653283, a cabin is suspended, as the crew compartment, elastically and separately in the vehicle housing for also eliminating shock effects acting externally on the vehicle that could affect the vehicle passengers.
In further applications, deformation bodies are mounted to the vehicle floor for reducing the pressure effect of mines on the vehicle.
In German patent document number DE 19941928, damping elements that are intended to reduce and absorb the mine effect are provided in an intermediate floor beneath the vehicle.
It is the object of the invention to provide a generic protection system to ensure sufficient protection for the crew of an armored vehicle, with the system possessing a simple, robust design.
This object generally is accomplished according to the present invention by an apparatus for protecting the crew of an armored vehicle against the effects of mines, comprising a concave, homogeneous protective floor plate having a large radius, and means connecting the floor plate to at least an outer hull of the vehicle to form the vehicle floor and the mine protection for the vehicle, with the center of the circle with the large radius being located beneath the floor plate.
In accordance with the invention, the hull floor beneath the vehicle is produced from a concave preferably sandwich type plate having a suitable thickness and a suitable surface weight to provide and maintain a required ground clearance. Structures that are built in above the hull, such as the spring bars of a running gear suspension, are installed such that a dynamic bulge in the floor plate caused by a mine explosion would not reach these bars, and therefore would cause no damage. The side flange plate for receiving the support-arm bearing housings for the vehicle drive are additionally provided as a support element, and for increasing the stability of the vehicle floor, in the form of an angled sheet that extends beneath the sandwich floor plate. The advantages of the embodiment of the vehicle floor in accordance with the invention lie in the savings of space and weight. Damages inflicted by a mine detonation are more easily remedied. The side flange plates stabilize the vehicle floor and increase the strength of the overall floor construction. Further advantages ensue from the discussion below.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention are schematically illustrated in the drawings and described in detail below.